Serendipity
by secretangel106
Summary: A surprise encounter turns Kimberly's world upside down as she discovers that what she ran from years ago is exactly what she needs. Pure Tommy/Kim Fluff!
1. Wedding Bells

**Chapter 1**

Kimberly Hart didn't care for weddings.

If asked, she would surely say it was because she found it ridiculous to watch as two people supposedly in love smashed dessert in each other's faces. She thought it was boring to watch the newlyweds spin in a circle on the dance floor for their first dance, because, realistically, who knows how to really dance anymore? And she found the bouquet toss to be the pinnacle of humiliation for a single girl like herself.

Kimberly's closest friends knew otherwise. It wasn't the wedding traditions, as outdated as they may be, that Kimberly found offensive. In fact, she loved any excuse to buy a new party dress and throw on a pair of heels, and she often found herself as the life of the party once all the traditional wedding customs were out of the way. Instead, it was what the wedding marked the beginning of – marriage – that Kimberly did not enjoy.

Despite her matrimonial misgivings, when her colleague and good friend Melissa burst into her office almost a year ago gushing about her now-husband's dreamy proposal, Kimberly put on her brightest smile and took part in the obligatory squealing and ring-admiring.

"Oh, it was SO perfect, Kim! He's so perfect! I knew Paul was my soulmate!" Melissa beamed that morning, her eyes fixated on the rock on her finger.

Ah, 'soulmate.' A word that was worse than most curse words as far as Kimberly's vocabulary was concerned. It was her memory of this word, tumbling freely from Melissa's mouth that diverted Kimberly's attention at this moment as the DJ invited the room to their feet. She made it clear to anyone who would listen that she thought the idea of a soulmate was stupid. She had dated plenty of guys, plenty of GREAT guys, and not one of them was what she would classify as a soulmate. She found the notion that each person was only meant to be with one, particular, other person on the planet ridiculous. She found it even more ridiculous that so many people honestly believed they HAD found their soulmate. If she weren't so committed to being a supportive friend, she would have grabbed Melissa and shaken her, asking if she really thought that if there really were only one person on the planet, the ENTIRE planet for her, that she just so happened to run into him in a local bar six months ago? But she bit her tongue, smiled sweetly, and proceeded to spend the next eleven months pouring through bridal magazines, comparing color swatches and sampling wedding cake with Melissa and the other women they worked with.

Again, those closest to her knew the truth about Kimberly's strict aversion to the use of the term 'soulmate'. She was simply masking another fear – that she had found her soulmate early on and mistakenly discarded him, limiting herself to a life of emotional solitude.

"Kim! Earth to Kim!"

She spun quickly, finding her friend Geri snapping her fingers at her. "Are you okay?"

"Um, yeah, I'm fine," she said absently, running her hand over the linen tablecloth.

"Well, stand up! They're about to introduce the couple!"

She shook her head lightly and smiled as she stood and faced the door, prepared to greet the happy couple who at this moment believed they were "meant to be."

"And please remain standing as we invite Melissa and Paul to the floor for their first dance as husband and wife!"

Kimberly rolled her eyes as the rest of the room cheered wildly. She made a grab for her purse and leaned in toward Geri. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Geri whispered, a bewildered look on her face.

"Bathroom."

"You can't hold it? They're about to dance!"

Kimberly smiled apologetically at her friend. Geri was, by definition, a hopeless romantic. Kim could practically see stars and hearts dancing in her eyes, and she knew if she stayed her cynicism would tarnish Geri's positive outlook. "No, I can't. I'll be right back. Enjoy the dancing," she encouraged as she slipped away, making a beeline for the door.

Her pace slowed as she reached the elaborately decorated hotel lobby. The reception was taking place in one of the Hyatt's grand ballrooms in southern Los Angeles, and Kimberly certainly had to admit, the girl knew how to throw a party. She gazed around the lobby, suddenly wishing she could bring herself to take up smoking just to give her an excuse for escape at moments like these.

_Since I'm not a fan of slow suicide and I'm a big fan of breathing, I guess I'll have to settle for people watching,_ she mused, making her way to a cushioned bench in the center of the room. It appeared that there was another wedding reception taking place in the second ballroom at the south end of the lobby. Guests were mingling outside the doors, apparently waiting for the arrival of yet another destined-to-be couple. She scanned the crowd for someone who might be interesting enough to talk to for the next few minutes.

She found what she was looking for in the form of a familiar face on a tall, dark-haired man that looked like he just walked off the cover of GQ.

The sight pulled Kimberly to her feet instinctively, only to collapse on to the bench again almost immediately. She glanced down at her legs that had just betrayed her and silently implored her knees to stop quaking. She pulled herself to her feet again and made her way across the lobby boldly, trying to ignore the fluttering in the pit of her stomach.

_Butterflies? Are those butterflies I'm feeling?_

She locked eyes with the man as she continued toward him, and she tried to smile. _I really hope I look like I'm smiling,_ she thought, utilizing all of her available motor control to keeping her legs moving forward and not turning and running back to the ballroom.

Upon seeing Kimberly heading his way, the man politely excused himself from the conversation he was having with an older gentleman and patted him gently on the arm as he started in her direction.

"Kimberly? Kim, is that you?"

His excited voice rang through the air and she stopped mere steps away, allowing instinct to take over once again as her face broke into a beaming grin.

"Hi, Tommy!"


	2. A Chance Encounter

_A couple of quick things... I probably should have mentioned this before, but this is a very 'fluffy' story. No real ranger business, just some light summer fun - and possibly some adult fun later on. I'm alternating between Tommy's and Kim's points of view, but I tend to drabble longer in Kim's mind. I don't know why, maybe I'm living vicariously through her. :-)_

_Also, I'm not a big fan of text-speak, so when the characters "text", it will be in complete sentences. Don't let that throw you off._

_Final thing... I own nothing but the keyboard used to type out this daydream. The rangers are property of whomever currently owns them... but it's not me._

_Enjoy!  
_

**Chapter 2**

Tommy Oliver couldn't believe his eyes.

Kimberly Hart stood a few mere feet before him, and he was sure that nothing short of a monster attack could pull his eyes from her. She looked positively stunning in a flirty periwinkle dress and stiletto heels. The chiffon clung to each and every one of her curves in a way that could bring any grown man to his knees. The neckline, supported by the thinnest pair of spaghetti straps sloped gently across the top of her chest exposing just a hint of cleavage, and the layered skirt fell just above her knees and showed off her strikingly toned legs that seemed to go on forever thanks to those stilettos.

She carried herself with pride and confidence across the lobby, tossing her caramel-colored locks over her shoulder as she grinned brightly, and as physically attractive as he found the rest of her body he couldn't look away from her eyes. Warm and deep brown, light still danced in them like it had back when she was seventeen. She greeted him warmly and Tommy debated for a split-second as to whether he should reach out to hug her. Instead, he paused in front of her, leaving a comfortable bubble of personal space between them and smiled what he was sure looked like a goofy, starstruck grin.

"How are you? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for a wedding," she said calmly, trying to control the tremor in her voice. She took a moment to take him in. Dressed in a suit that very well could have been Armani with a light gray shirt and a flashy black, white and silver tie, he carried a sense of smoothness that was unusual for Tommy – or, at least the Tommy she used to know. His hair was short and spiky now, and as much as she used to plead with him never to cut his hair, she had to admit that the look suited him – and suited him well. His golden brown eyes glowed against his sun-kissed skin, and as attracted as she had been to him back in high school she could easily claim that he had never looked as good as he did now.

"Oh! You know Caitlyn too?" he asked, gesturing back over his shoulder.

"Um, no, Melissa and Paul," she said, pointing back to the ballroom she had recently evacuated. "Who's Caitlyn?"

"Caitlyn is my business partner's daughter, getting married at the tender age of eighteen," he said, implying his disapproval in his tone.

"Wow," Kimberly muttered, choosing this simple exclamation over the many other thoughts trying to roll off her tongue. "That's crazy."

"Yeah, tell me about it. But she's practically family, so if she's happy, I'm happy."

Kimberly nodded thoughtfully, trying to pluck her reply from the sea of thoughts currently flooding her mind. "It's really great to see you!"

"It's great to see you too!" _Understatement of the year,_ Tommy thought as he steadied his nerves to ask his next question. "Are you here with a date?"

Kimberly laughed and averted her eyes, an action that Tommy's mind immediately began trying to interpret. "No, thankfully." Unbeknownst to Tommy, that was another of Kimberly's pet peeves – having to drag some poor fool alongside her for the sake of filling her 'and guest' spot on the RSVP card. It usually ended up sending the wrong message to her companion, leaving Kimberly having to break things off later when there was really nothing there to 'break off' in the first place. "Melissa's a girl I work with, and since the rest of us at work are all single we agreed to just all come together, obligatory-date free."

_Was that just relief that flashed in his eyes?_

"What about you?" she pressed.

"Hmm?"

"Is one of these ladies shooting me death glares here with you?"

Tommy laughed, glancing around at the alleged offenders. "No one's glaring at you. And no, none of them are here with me. I'm actually hoping to make an appearance and duck out early. I really don't know any of their other guests, and I'm sure John will be busy with father-of-the-bride duties."

Kim giggled, a sound that Tommy hadn't even realized he'd been missing until this moment.

"I'd love to catch up with you, though, if you have some time later. It's been a long time."

"Yeah, it has. I'd really like that."

"Are you living here in LA?"

Kim nodded. "Yeah, in a closet-sized apartment not far from here."

"Well, I'm here until tomorrow afternoon. We should get together."

She smiled gently, impressed with Tommy's seemingly newfound confidence as he reached for his phone. He shot her a glance indicating that she should proceed with her number which she gladly provided. Seconds later she felt her phone buzzing in her purse against her leg.

"It's just me, so you'll have my number, too."

"Thanks," she replied, leaving her phone tucked away. She glanced back at the ballroom, wondering how long she'd been away. Time seemed to slip away as she drowned in the presence of this man before her. She had probably successfully avoided the father-daughter and the mother-son dances, too.

"You should get back," he said gently, voicing her thoughts for her.

"Yeah, I should…" she chewed on her lip nervously. "But I really do want to see you later."

"Good. That means you won't blow me off." His words seemed a little bitter, but he said them with a wink and a smile, indicating that his intentions were as genuine as hers.

"So I'll see you later?"

"Definitely."

Tommy watched as she turned to go and let out the breath that he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. He couldn't believe his good fortune, and if he had been alone he probably would have jumped up and down or done something equally childlike. Instead, he laughed and shook his head as he pulled his phone from his pocket again.

* * *

"Where have you been?" Geri hissed as Kimberly made her way back into her seat at the table, drink in hand.

"I ran into a friend in the lobby," she said abstractly, digging for her again-buzzing cell phone.

"A friend? What kind of friend?"

"Just… a friend."

"No way. You are absolutely beaming, Kimberly Hart!"

"I am not!"

"Then stop smiling, right now."

Kim had successfully extracted her phone and turned it over in her hand, anticipating a missed call from Tommy. What else she found was going to make Geri's demand impossible.

_The only reason any woman would glare at you is because they know they'll never be half as gorgeous as you._

Kim fought to suppress the urge to giggle like a young girl as she read the text message. A warm blush swept over her cheeks as she began typing her reply.

"KIM!"

"What?" she whirled back to Geri, sounding just a tad annoyed. She couldn't stay angry at her, though, when she saw the expectant, pleading look on Geri's grinning face.

"Spill, girl!"

"Hang on." Her thumbs flew across the keypad, typing out a flirtatious reply.

_Or maybe they wished they were talking to the finest man in the room. I know I'd be jealous of anyone talking to you._

She slid her phone closed and back into her bag as the waiter approached with tray holding their salads. She turned back to Geri, still wearing the giddy grin she hadn't been able to wipe off her face since re-entering. "Let's just say the night just got very interesting."


	3. May I Have This Dance?

_I own nothing power ranger-related, including but not limited to all these characters I'm playing with. Hope you enjoy!_

**Chapter 3**

"Okay, you're driving me crazy."

Geri's voice broke Kim's reverie as her hand shot out and clutched Kim's fingertips that just couldn't seem to stop tapping the table. Kimberly shook her head, as though trying to clear a haze. "Sorry."

"Sorry nothing. I sat next to you last month when you presented to the Birmingham account and you weren't this nervous. What is it about this guy?"

Kim shrugged. "It's nothing, really."

"And you've hardly eaten, and this place has really good food."

Kimberly rolled her eyes at her friend. "You're being dramatic."

"And you're being secretive! Come on, Kim, let me live vicariously through you."

"Alright, fine, if I give you the rest of my dinner, will you shut up?" Kimberly picked up her plate of food and thrust it toward Geri's empty one, causing both girls to burst into a fit of giggles.

"Seriously, though," Geri prodded as she stabbed at Kim's plate with her fork, "this guy better be a Greek god or something. You've built him up so much."

Kim threw her hands up in the air exasperatedly, her lips curving into a wild grin. "How? I've barely said a word about him!"

"Exactly. Which is so weird for you. So I've built up this huge image in my head instead. Good luck having him live up to that."

Kimberly exhaled sharply as her phone buzzed again, and she couldn't control the devious smile that crept across her face. "Seriously, the whole plate's yours." She gestured to her meal as she reached for her phone.

_Come dance with me. They're playing our song._

Her eyes lit up with possibilities, and she favored Geri with another apologetic grin.

"I hate you, Kimberly Hart."

Kim giggled nervously. "I promise, I'll intro-"

She froze mid-sentence and reached for Geri's shoulders, directing her attention to the doorway. Leaning against the doorframe was Tommy Oliver, watching her intently. She could practically feel Geri melting beneath her fingers, and she tried to repress a giggle as Geri turned back to her dejectedly. "Go."

"What?"

Geri sighed melodramatically, rolled her eyes and grabbed for Kim's plate. "Go," she repeated, "but when I need a jogging partner for the next two weeks…" she muttered, motioning at the plate as she sent a death glare at the waiter who had come to collect it.

"I'm totally there," Kim interjected, taking to her feet.

"Hey!" Geri exclaimed, whirling in Kim's direction as she scurried away. "Be cool! You do NOT hurry for any man."

Kim took a deep breath and grinned at Geri. "You're the best."

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered with a half-smile as she stabbed at her stolen meal.

* * *

Kimberly sauntered coolly towards the door, keeping her eyes trained on Tommy. He stood unceremoniously against the doorjamb, his suit jacket slung casually over one shoulder like a photographer had come along and intentionally posed him that way. He favored her with a smile and an appreciative stare as she approached, and he barely flinched when she kept strolling right past him into the lobby.

"Where you headed?" he asked nonchalantly as he turned only his head slightly in her direction, almost as though he were waiting for someone other than her.

"Well," she began, glancing around the room as though she were lost, "some guy just wrote me a text message asking me if I want to dance, but I'm not sure who."

Tommy nodded, slowly rotating in her direction, preparing himself to play her game. "Sounds exciting."

"Only if he's hot. Otherwise, it's creepy."

Tommy laughed as he started to inch back toward the other ballroom. "Asking you to dance via text message… How modern," he said quietly, without turning to see that she was following.

Kimberly also noticed that he hadn't even looked back at her and again found herself awestruck at the calm confidence he exuded as he moved. She, of course, fell into step behind him. "Eh, it's more romantic in person. And it doesn't do me any good if I can't find the guy."

"Oh, I'm sure he'll find you if he really wants to."

A flirtatious remark was on the tip of her tongue, but she noted their proximity to the ballroom door and stepped away quickly instead. "Well, I hope he shows up soon - "

Her sentence faded away into a playful giggle as he spun towards her, swiftly wrapped an arm around her waist and escorted her into the room. "Looks like he found you."

She scrambled for a witty response, but found herself uncharacteristically tongue-tied, and she stood frozen just inside the door from the lobby as Tommy trotted toward his table to drop off his jacket.

"Something wrong?" he questioned, reappearing at her side.

"Um, besides the color scheme? No."

Tommy feigned offense. "You don't like it?"

"It looks like all the bridesmaids blew bubbles that were too big and they popped all over them," she hissed.

"Well, I like it. Pink invokes some really good memories for me."

"I didn't think anything could invoke your memory, Mr. Oliver."

"Ha ha, you're hilarious," he muttered with a playful roll of his eyes. "Besides, it's easy to remember the good things."

She felt herself blushing and focused on changing the direction of the conversation. "Well, I like pink. Obviously. But there is such thing as too much of a good thing, and this girl has found it in the form of bubble gum," she said, waving an arm discretely at the pink streamers, pink chair covers and pink floral centerpieces.

"Pretty rude for you to crash a wedding and then insult the décor."

"I'm not crashing. I was invited."

"By whom?" he asked, with a wink. "I just happened to run into you in the lobby just now. You seemed a little lost."

Kim took a deep breath, hoping to allow her brain to catch up with all the playful banter. She was usually pretty good at thinking on her feet, but there was something about Tommy that slowed her mind down, and she knew it was only a matter of time before something stupid slipped from her lips. "I thought you said they were playing our song. To be honest, I didn't even know we had a song, but I know for sure this isn't it."

"You're right. It's not, and we don't. I just wanted to dance with you."

His words, spoken with such casual sincerity melted her heart right then and there, as though they'd been talking to each other like that for years. She pinched her lips together tightly, knowing full well that she wouldn't be able to snap back at him now, and if she tried she'd surely ruin this moment. Instead, she lifted her eyes to his and smiled sweetly.

Tommy may have seemed calm and suave on the outside, but his heart was thumping against his ribs a mile a minute. Her smile threatened to unravel his cool façade, and he wondered how long she'd play along before she turned and ran. In his mind that was a nearly inevitable ending to this game, but he tried to push this thought away as he reached for her hand.

She could have sworn an electric shock shot up her arm as he touched her fingertips, and with a gentle squeeze he pulled her onto the dance floor.

Only a few couples had made their way to the floor for the smooth, slow, after-dinner melodies, but it wouldn't have mattered if the dance floor was packed. As soon as Tommy spun her to face him they were lost in their own world, a world vaguely reminiscent of times gone by.

He lifted her hand to place it on his shoulder, his eyes seeking hers as though he were asking permission, and she lifted her left hand to join the right, implying her consent. Her knees threatened to give way when his hand found her hip and pulled her closer. She allowed her eyes to drift closed, focusing on the strength of his hands on her slowly-swaying hips and the scent of his cologne invading her senses.

Tommy nearly lost his mind when she ran her fingertips across the back of his neck just below his hairline, and his eyes, which had also drifted closed snapped open to find her staring at him intently. "You cut your hair," she murmured softly.

"Yeah, a while ago," he replied with a wistful smile, knowing full well that if he still had his long hair her fingers would likely be entangled in it right now.

"I like it," she said with a flattering smile.

She continued to rub her fingers along the back of his neck, electrifying Tommy with a sensation that threatened to bring him to his knees. He sincerely hoped that his extreme arousal was not evident to her, but he doubted it, given how close he had pulled her against him.

Knowing full well that if she kept touching him this way he'd be reduced to a babbling mess in a matter of minutes, he reached up and took one of her hands with his. His other made its way to the small of her back and he rocked back and forth, stepping rhythmically to the slow beat.

"Tommy Oliver can dance! I'm impressed!" she said with an approving grin.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me, Kim."

"Yeah? Sounds like a challenge."

Thankful for the lightened tone between them, he grinned back. "A challenge to what?"

"To learn more about you. That means you're stuck with me for a while, of course."

"Of course." Tommy attempted to ignore the implied temporariness in her comment and focused on the more obvious insinuation – that they'd be spending more time together this evening.

Kimberly sighed inwardly as she let her hand drop from Tommy's shoulder and run down the length of his chest before making its way back up, watching him devilishly all the while. Trying to be discrete he bit down on the inside of his cheek, trying to settle the fluttering in his chest that her touch had caused. She stifled a giggle, knowing full well that she was playing with fire. "I see you're still working out," she murmured.

His eyes met hers, rising to meet her challenge. _Two can play this game,_ he thought as he fortified himself for his next move. He let his hand drop lower on her back, allowing it to rest on the gentle slope of the top of her backside. He pulled her closer, holding her flush to his upper body and grinned as she let loose a quiet squeal. "Well, yeah, I own a martial arts school with John," he said, nodding toward the father-of-the-bride. "I tend to be a little bit of a control freak, though, so I still teach most of the classes myself. Working out's kind of inherent in the job."

She clamped down on her lower lip and fought the urge to purr, thinking about "Tommy" and "control freak" in the same sentence. _You have a dirty mind, Kimberly Hart,_ she scolded herself, darting her eyes away from his in an effort to cool herself down.

They swayed silently for the next few minutes, pressed together tightly but both refusing to look at the other. As she tried to control her rapidly beating heart, she caught sight of the young newlyweds joining their friends on the floor and almost laughed at the irony.

Caitlyn was tall and blonde, with fair skin and light blue eyes. She looked absolutely radiant in a flowing white gown with a wide pink ribbon wrapped around her waist and trailing down into the dress' train. Her new husband, whose name she hadn't quite bothered to catch was tall with dark eyes and dark hair, gathered neatly at the nape of his neck in a clean ponytail.

"They're both eighteen?" she asked quietly, still not turning to look at the man holding her.

"I think he might be nineteen. Both still young, though." His words were whispered against the top of her head where his face was currently buried, rustling her hair gently and sending a chill down her spine.

She nodded gently, thinking that the last time she'd seen Tommy she'd been about eighteen. She'd also left him – and his ponytail – in the arms of tall, blonde-hair-blue-eyed Katherine right around that time. The similarity to the bride and groom was uncanny. _How crazy would it have been if… _Her thought process trailed off, refusing to play in the land of 'what-if's' in favor of the 'here-and-now', where she was safe in the arms of ponytail-less Tommy. "You were right about one thing."

"What's that?"

"Pink and white do look good together," she said, fixated on the young girl's gown.

Tommy smiled, not sure if he had actually said those words or not, but happy to agree anyway. "I know they do."

"Alright, it's time to pick things up a bit and get this party started! We hope you'll all join us on the floor for this next number!"

Tommy breathed out sharply, almost thankful for the break in the romantic tension thanks to the DJ. Kim backed away from him quickly and favored him with a smile. "I should probably get back. Geri's probably freaking out."

"Jerry? I thought you said you weren't here with a date."

Kim smirked slightly at the traces of envy she could see dancing in Tommy's eyes. "No, Geri, like, Geraldine. She's a girl from work. But don't call her Geraldine. She's likely to kill you."

Tommy laughed, trying to mask a sigh of relief. "Well, I'll keep that in mind."

"I really should go, though. Who knows how many other guys have sent me texts asking me to dance in the last twenty minutes."

_She sure knows how to push buttons – especially my buttons,_ he reminded himself as shook his head amusedly. "I could take them, you know."

"_All_ of them? Twenty minutes is a long time. Who knows how many suitors I have lined up."

Tommy spread his arms as if to say, 'bring it on.' Then he cocked his head to one side. "Yes, all of them."

"You'll get no argument here," she replied, trying to tear her eyes away from his toned torso.

He laughed modestly. He wanted to ask if she was still up for meeting up later, but the glossy wetness in her eyes and the bright smile spread across her cheeks told him that he hadn't seen the last of her tonight.

"Hope I was able to at least entertain you for a while," she said facetiously as she started to back toward the door.

"Yeah, thanks, I guess I owe you one."

Her mouth curved into a dangerous smile as she leaned in toward him. "Don't think I won't take you up on that." Then in a flash of caramel colored hair, she was gone.

* * *

Kimberly practically dove into the chair next to Geri, two fruity cocktails in hand. She placed one on the table in front of her friend and took several long gulps of the other.

"Geez, Kim, nothing like being a classy drinker."

She smiled bashfully. "Sorry. I just really needed a drink."

Geri nodded, her dark curls bobbing enthusiastically. "Liquid courage?"

"Um, no, not really… In fact, I think I've been pretty bold already."

"Oooh, do tell!"

She sucked in a deep breath, followed by another sip of her drink. "I really just need to cool down, and take the edge off."

"All this over an ex?" Geri prodded, springboarding from the minimal details she'd coaxed from Kim earlier.

Kim did not reply, but took another long sip of her drink.

"So when are you bringing him in? I cannot wait to meet the guy that broke Kimberly Hart."

"What?!? I am not broken!" she protested.

"Come on, Kim, you're practically the president of Man-Eaters Anonymous. I've never seen any guy throw you off your game, and you can usually convince them to buy you a drink with nothing but eye contact and a toss of your hair."

Kim nodded, reflecting silently on her most recent conquests. Clearly, she was not a fan of serious relationships, and the extent of most of her relationships included some free drinks at the bar and flirtation on the dance floor. Most men she "dated" never made it into her apartment, let alone to her bedroom, though. _I'm young, I'm having fun… There's nothing wrong with that,_ she worked to convince herself as Geri continued.

"But this guy has you guzzling well vodka from the cash bar like it's water, and running around with this frenzied, crazy look in your eyes. Which reminds me, we will have to make a visit to the ladies room before you rendezvous with him again so we can touch you up." Geri gestured toward her hair and face with a look of mock disgust.

Kimberly was forced to giggle. She knew anyone listening would have thought Geri was being horribly rude, but in truth Geri was as steadfast and loyal as they came, and she was doing everything she could to fulfill her role as best girl friend. "Thanks, Geraldine."

"I swear to God, I'll stab you if you call me that again," she muttered through clenched teeth as she grabbed for a butter knife from the table.

Kim threw her arms around her friend's shoulders. "You're as good as they come, you know that."

Geri rolled her eyes but smiled back at her. "Is that you or the cheap vodka talking?"


	4. Crashing the Party

**Chapter 4**

"Three. Definitely number three."

Kimberly mouthed these words and supplemented them by holding up three fingers on her right hand from her position at the edge of the dance floor. She sat perched in her chair enjoying another cocktail with a content smile on her face.

Geri, meanwhile was dancing with one of the groomsman – her fourth in the course of the last hour and a half. She had effectively staked out the single ones, numbered them accordingly, and then set out on her quest. Kimberly was simply sharing her opinion with her friend, who had conveniently twirled to face her. Geri flashed her a thumbs up sign, then cast her glance back to her former dance partner with a smile and a wink.

_I've taught you well,_ Kim mused with a satisfied sigh. _Hell, if it weren't for Tommy, I'd probably be recommending number one… so I could go after number three myself._ She shook her head contemptuously, partially at her own prowess and partially because she couldn't believe a man in a room down the hall was keeping her glued to her chair. She was happy to discover, though, that she was at total ease with her self-imposed restrictions.

The buzz of her phone jolted her from her contemplative state and she left her post as Geri's wingman to retrieve it.

_Having fun?_

She smirked and rolled her eyes before typing her response.

_Tons. You?_

Hoping her sarcasm was apparent, she hit send and dropped her phone back into her lap.

The response was instantaneous.

_I'm at a wedding where 90% of the guests are under 21, which means no bar._

She giggled and replied.

_So you need a bar to have fun?_

She had to laugh as she hit send. Her phone buzzed again.

_It wouldn't hurt.  
_

Kim dangled the carrot.

_Bet you wish you were here. I'll enjoy a beverage for you.._

She knew what was coming.

_Maybe I'll have to crash your party, then._

It was much easier for Kimberly to play hard-to-get when she wasn't staring at those bottomless eyes, so following the advice she had doled out dozens of times she punched in a quick reply.

_No crashing allowed. You have to be invited._

She smirked and dropped her phone again, returning her attention to Geri on the dance floor. She appeared to be engaged in a conversation with groomsman #3 while still dancing with #4, and Kim started wondering if she was going to have to intervene. She paid half-hearted attention when her phone buzzed again.

_There's a bar just off the lobby, too. I guess I can always just head there instead._

Always willing to call a bluff, Kim fired back.

_Suit yourself._

She hit 'send' feeling satisfied in gaining the upper hand and dropped her phone back to her lap, content to watch and encourage her friend for a little while more before continuing their game of cat-and-mouse.

* * *

The last drops of her drink slipped past her lips, and she dropped her glass back to the table, trying to decide if binge drinking was really a good way to kill time. She waved her empty glass in Geri's direction with the intention of letting her friend know where she was going and also asking her if she'd like another.

In response, Geri's eyes opened as wide as saucers and she whispered three words that Kimberly couldn't quite hear, but they were unmistakable nonetheless.

"Oh my God…"

"What?" Kimberly mouthed in return, furrowing her brow and leaning forward to stand and head in her direction.

A strong hand swept across her shoulder blades.

"Care for another?"

She didn't have to turn to see who had spoken the words, but she did anyway, excited to greet her new companion.

Tommy sank slowly into the chair next to her, offering a drink in her direction. "I hope you don't mind, I sprung one for myself too." He lifted his glass from the table and held it up in a mock-toasting motion.

She accepted hers with a sweet smile. "Thanks, party-crasher."

He shrugged in acknowledgement. "Yeah, well, I've been told it's more romantic to ask a girl to dance in person."

"I see. Well, whoever told you that is very, very wise."

He looked away indifferently. "Yeah, but now she's going to have to wait for me to finish my drink."

Kim shook her head in silent satisfaction. Tommy was almost as good at the 'game' as she was. Not one to be one-upped, she sighed thoughtfully. "Well I sure hope no one else comes and asks first."

Tommy grinned mischievously and downed what was left of his drink in a single gulp. He placed his glass on the table definitively and rose to his feet, offering his hand in Kimberly's direction.

"What, all this trouble and now you're not even going to ask?" she replied coyly.

"Dance with me," he pleaded with both his words and his eyes.

_How could I say no to that?_ she thought as she reached for his hand and allowed herself to be escorted onto the floor.

He yanked her into his arms almost playfully, and she giggled as she collided with him and he wrapped his arms around her again. She was amazed at how at ease she felt in his presence and how natural their interaction was after all these years. She caught Geri's eye over Tommy's broad shoulder as he twirled her, and she raised an eyebrow at Kim with a sly smile. Kimberly shrugged subtly as she redirected her focus on her partner.

"Crazy, huh?" Tommy said softly, knitting his brow as his eyes met hers.

"What's that?"

"That I would run into you here, while we attend two completely unrelated weddings."

"Related by venue," she countered.

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, it's still completely random. It's like fate."

Kimberly's eyes fixed on an unknown point in front of her as she got lost in her own thoughts momentarily. _Fate._ Another ridiculous concept in Kim's mind. However, by sheer definition, she supposed that he was right. In all truth, the hotel was so big that she honestly believed they could have easily attended the two weddings and NOT run into each other at all. So many coincidences would have had to align… Her speedy exit from the ballroom earlier, his on-time arrival (which was a miracle in itself), catching his eye in the lobby… Not to mention having the two weddings booked in the same place on the same day in the first place. She pressed her eyelids together and shook her head slightly as she felt the beliefs she had built her foundation on slowly begin to chip away.

"You okay?" his gentle voice broke through her haze.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, I'm fine." And then in a move that would have caught a younger version of Tommy off-guard, she leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder, effectively eliminating the space between them.

Tommy's mind reeled but he reacted quickly, wrapping his arms around her a little tighter and resting his cheek against the top of her head. They swayed in silence for a few moments before he lifted a hand to push back her hair and leaned down so his lips were next to her ear.

"Can I tell you something?"

The warmth of his breath over her neck ruined all possibility of coherent thought for Kimberly, so she responded with a simple "mmhmm."

"I thought you were gorgeous in high school, but tonight you look more beautiful than I even remember."

Kim moaned softly at his admission. There were certainly words with equally strong or even stronger connotations than 'beautiful', but his use of this simple word sent her back a full decade, to when she had been an idealistic teenager hopelessly in love. To when she had been _his_ beautiful.

When she was able to control her trembling lips enough to speak, she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and whispered, "I've missed you."

He pressed his lips to the top of her head. Inhaling deeply, he allowed himself to drown in the fruity fragrance of her shampoo for just a moment. "I've missed you too."

As thrilled as he was to be holding Kimberly close again, he knew that life was not that simple. They had a lot of history that would have to be addressed eventually, and he was still convinced that she would flee at any moment. He refused to allow himself to think past this moment, though, because he knew full well that tomorrow he'd head back home and life would go back to normal. _I better enjoy this while it lasts._.

He took a moment to glance around the room and tried to convince himself that this was all really happening, not just a crazy illusion, an evil spell or a manipulated dream. Unfortunately, based on Tommy's life experience all of these things were possibilities. He laughed to himself and wondered if anyone else in the world ever had to worry about such things.

Tommy redirected his attention to the woman in his arms and found her staring back at him. He smiled tenderly, allowing his lips to hover just above hers. He found himself drawn to them, memorizing their perfectly symmetrical slope and recalling what it felt like to have those beautiful lips pressed to his own, or his cheek… or his neck… Curtailing the southward direction his thoughts were heading in, he went back to daydreaming about kissing her. He could practically taste her lips now, knowing that a hundred more years could pass and he would not forget what it felt like to kiss this woman.

_Just kiss her now,_ his mind urged, and the rest of his body joined in and cheered him on. _She's so close, and the way she's looking at you… Well, she certainly won't push you away._

He wanted to, wanted to kiss her so badly. He was so close he could do it with just a slight dip of his neck. Just when he thought his self control had lost this battle, he saw a shadow flicker in her eyes, and in just a flash he was no longer holding the strong, confident, sexy woman he had spent the evening with. Instead, he was holding the petite, innocent, still-beautiful teenager that he had fallen in love with so many years ago. The talented gymnast with a heart of gold and a drive for success that rivaled no other that he had put on a plane and sent to Florida.

The young woman who had broken his heart.

He blinked his eyes and exhaled, barely noticing he'd been holding his breath. Her enticing lips curved upward in a sexy grin and just like that she was back, unintentionally unraveling him. But his mind was elsewhere.

_What was that?_ he questioned, even though he knew the answer. He knew what he'd seen in her eyes.

Fear.

* * *

_Thank you for all the reviews so far!_


	5. Back in the Game

_A/N: I had originally planned for this chapter to be longer, but I'm in the middle of moving and I probably won't be able to update for a week or so. So, I thought it'd be a good idea to go ahead and post what I had. Nothing major happening here, just a little more fun with our favorite couple and some build-up to what you all know is coming - the talk, the reconciliation, blah blah blah. I hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading!_

_Oh, and by the way, this chapter uses some less-than-appropriate language and has mild references to underage drinking. If that sort of thing offends you, you may want to skip this one... And possibly the rest of the story. *wink*  
_

**Chapter 5**

Tommy's warm breath fanned over Kimberly's lips, threatening her very sanity. She could not believe how attracted she was to this man after all this time. She wanted to kiss him – wanted to ravage him, to be more exact – but there was one thing she wanted even more.

She wanted him to kiss her first.

He really looked like he might. He certainly looked like he wanted to. But just when she thought he would, he shook head slightly, almost as though he were shaking himself from a daze. Despite this minor disappointment, she smiled at him brightly, still happy to be right where she was.

"Still going to try to cut out early?" she whispered softly.

"Nah, I think I'll stick around for a bit."

Kim nodded, still grinning at him brightly. "Good."

"Why? Isn't your curfew like 10:00 anyway?" he retorted, winking at her.

She giggled. "I'm all grown up now. No more pesky curfews, and I was hoping you'd hang out with me for a while afterwards."

Tommy raised his eyebrows, then shrugged. "I'll consider it."

She chewed on her lip and gave him her best puppy dog stare. As she opened her mouth to speak again, another voice broke through their bubble in an exaggerated tone.

"Well, since my 'date' has abandoned me for some guy that she hasn't even introduced me to, I guess I'll just be leaving…"

Kimberly lifted her head and pulled away from Tommy slightly, much to his dismay. She turned to face Geri as she strolled past her with a wide, expectant smile, having abandoned her brood of groomsmen. She rolled her eyes at her friend's antics. "Geri, this is Tommy. Tommy, this is the best coworker I've ever had the pleasure of working with."

Geri slapped on a faux-bashful smile as she extended her hand in Tommy's direction. "I'm flattered. And honored to meet you. And really, I'm not always this obnoxious."

"Right," Kimberly muttered as Tommy laughed.

"Well, I'm sorry for stealing your date. Do you want her back?"

Kimberly widened her eyes at her friend as if to say 'Don't you dare'. Geri grinned deviously, but then waved her hand in his direction. "I wouldn't dream of it. However, Connie and I are leaving… I'm assuming you won't need a ride home…" she said suggestively, turning her attention back to Kim as she waved at another of their coworkers seated patiently at their table.

She shot a death glare at Geri, having picked up on her insinuations. Then, keeping her cool, she simply replied, "No, I'll just catch a cab. Tommy and I are going to hang out for a while longer."

Nodding slowly, Geri glanced back up at Tommy quickly, only to find his eyes fixed on Kimberly. "Okay, then," she said with a smile as she leaned in to hug Kimberly.

"Thanks, Geri. I'll call you later," she whispered.

"No, you'll call me in the morning. He's delicious. Remember to use a condom," Geri hissed back, pulling away before Kim could reply. "Nice meeting you, Tommy! I hope to see you again soon!" she proclaimed loudly as she bounced away.

"Please tell me you didn't hear that," Kim muttered, turning back to Tommy's embrace.

"Hear what?" he said with a smirk that told her he had heard every word. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned in so his forehead was almost touching hers. "Besides, you're cute when you blush."

The scarlet in her cheeks deepened and she tried to turn her face from him, only to find her cheek cupped in his hand and her eyes pulled back up to his.

_This is it. He'll kiss me now._

But Tommy didn't. Instead, he stared at her with a satisfied smile, running his thumb delicately along her cheek. "You know," he said softly after a moment, "I never did agree to 'hang out' with you."

"Are you really going to tell me no?"

He sighed, dropping his hand back to her waist. "Have I ever been able to before?"

* * *

"Sex On The Beach, please."

"You got it."

The bartender in the hotel lounge got to work preparing Kimberly's beverage as she made herself comfortable. After dancing for a few more smoldering moments, they agreed to part and say goodbye to their respective bride-and-grooms. Since both receptions officially ended at 11:00, they agreed to meet in the lounge immediately afterwards.

And Tommy was late.

As the bartender slid her drink across the bar to her, Kimberly dug for her debit card as she fought the urge to run. Every moment that she sat there was another moment she questioned her intentions for the evening, and it would be much easier to just leave now, before she was confronted with the ultimate question. _What do I feel for Tommy Oliver?_

She knew deep down that the answer to this question would lead her down one of several paths, but no matter which path she chose it would be a different one than she was on now. She sighed resignedly as she produced the card and handed it to the bartender. _The damage has been done._

"Ms. Hart?"

Her eyes shot up to meet with the bartender, who had taken her card but was now offering it back to her. "Is there a problem?"

"No, ma'am, I'm just under strict orders to charge your drinks to room #643."

She accepted the card back from the man with a sweet smile as understanding dawned on her face. _If Tommy made these arrangements, where the hell is he?_ She sighed and settled back on her barstool.

Several moments later the movement of the barstool next to her broke her daze, but as she swiveled to meet her companion she found herself disappointed with what she found.

"Why, hello…" the young man babbled, clearly inebriated.

Kim smiled an artificial smile at her would-be suitor. "I'm sorry, but this seat's taken."

"Really," he slurred as he settled in and started to remove his jacket. He was dressed in what had, at one point in the evening been a very nice suit and tie, but it now hung sloppily over his drunken body, and Kim found herself wondering if he had been a guest at one of the two weddings she had attended this evening. "It don't look taken to me. Bartender!"

She rolled her eyes and scooted away to the best of her ability, refusing to acknowledge him. Under normal circumstances she would have probably knocked him out of the chair herself and fed him a piece of her mind, but this man was so far trashed it would lose all its satisfaction.

"I'll take a Jack and coke. And while you're at it, get this little sex kitten whatever she wants." The man made a show of lifting a $20 from his wallet and laying it on the bar.

"Excuse me?" Kimberly exclaimed, whirling back to face him. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to like that, because it's certainly not me." She was finding it more and more difficult to keep her temper under control.

He leaned in towards her, and she could smell the whiskey radiating from his pores. "It's okay, sweetheart, I got this." Refusing – or possibly unable – to interpret Kimberly's all-too-clear signals, he reached over and ran a hand across her thigh.

Acting on reflexes she was glad to have refined so many years ago, she seized his hand in a death grip and shoved it back towards him violently, twisting it as she pushed. "You listen to me, fuckhead, you lay a finger on me again and I swear to God I'll castrate you with a bottle opener." She kept her voice low but serious, with a frighteningly calm smile.

"I love it when a lady plays rough."

Kimberly saw a flash of red and briefly contemplated whether or not she'd be willing to do jail time for assault. She moved her other arm to jab in his direction when the man was hauled roughly from his seat with a single hand to the center of his chest.

"Excuse me, you're in my seat."

Kimberly's eyes darted to her savior, not surprised to find Tommy glaring murderously at the jerk. Her eyes quickly flipped back to the bartender to gauge his reaction, but he had made a point of turning away, purposefully ignoring the activity at the other end of the bar.

The man struggled sloppily against Tommy's hold to no avail. "Hey, dude, I'm –"

Tommy interrupted his babbled apology by pulling him closer and slightly off his feet, His firmly set jaw expanded into a maniacal smile, and Kimberly could have sworn she saw a flash of green in his eyes. "You listen to me, asshole. I'm going to give you one chance to walk away. You do so much as look back in this direction, and I will tear you apart. And if I ever see you again after tonight, so help me I will kill you with my bare hands."

His words, spoken in a low hiss sent chills down Kimberly's spine and excited her all at the same time. She repressed the urge to smile as she watched Tommy shove the man backwards effortlessly toward the door. He landed in a heap on the floor and scrambled to his feet as Tommy took several menacing steps in his direction. "Try me."

'Drunky' took one more look at Tommy before darting back into the hotel lobby.

Kimberly expressed her gratitude for his extreme, yet sweetly protective show of male dominance with an inviting smile. He sunk into the chair next to her with a sigh.

"Thank you," she said tenderly as she reached for his hand. "I really did have it under control, though."

"I know you did," he said, his tough façade fading away into a proud smile. "I almost wish I had stood back and let you have at him. Nice reaction time."

She grinned earnestly at his compliment, slowly letting her hand slip away from his. "You know, if I hadn't been sitting here by myself he probably wouldn't have come up to me in the first place." She said it delicately, hoping to lighten the mood.

Tommy sighed. "I'm sorry."

She giggled, much to his delight. "It's fine, Tommy, I was just kidding. It's comforting to know that some things never change."

He laughed a little at her gentle ribbing. "I really would have been on time, but John needed some help with some of the guests that were a little out of hand, much like your 'friend' I just met. I helped put some of them in a cab."

"I thought there wasn't a bar at the reception."

He shrugged. "Kids get creative. And creativity usually leads to… underage overindulgence." He swung his head back to face her as he spoke. "Are you really alright?"

The comforting familiarity in his concerned gaze was the only thing that kept Kimberly from bursting out laughing. "Yes, I promise, I'm fine. If I had a dime for every man I've had to physically threaten, I'd be a very rich lady." She waved the bartender in her direction before leaning in towards Tommy, hoping to rekindle the flirtatious banter they had enjoyed earlier. "You're just lucky I didn't take you down when you made me dance with you earlier."

There it was… that heart-melting smile she had re-accustomed herself to in just a few short hours. "Yeah? You think you could take me?"

"You wouldn't fight back."

"One point for Pinky," he conceded as the bartender arrived in front of them. "Did Marty take care of you?"

Kim nodded and motioned to her near-empty glass. "Yes, thank you, but I'd say you have some catching up to do." She turned her attention to Marty. "Whatever he orders, make it a double."

He nodded with a smile and turned his attention back to Tommy. "I'll have a Captain and diet, no lime."

"Yes, sir, a double Captain and diet." He nodded kindly and turned away, allowing Tommy to refocus on the woman to his left.

"You know, I certainly didn't hear you complaining when I was holding you earlier," he murmured as he waited for his drink.

Let the games begin.


	6. Twenty Questions

_I don't own Power Rangers._

**Chapter 6**

"Why, Mr. Oliver, I do believe you're blushing."

Tommy averted his gaze and mentally worked to stop the spread of red hot crimson across his cheeks. "Eighteen," he murmured.

"Eighteen? Hmm… So that must have been Miss Katherine, huh?"

He nodded reluctantly.

Over the course of the last hour and a half, Tommy and Kimberly had wasted no time in catching up on each other's lives. Their spirited discussion had fallen into a natural pattern of question-answer and was sprinkled with flirtation. The outside world faded away around them, except for the occasional intrusion by Marty to refill their drinks, and they each reveled in the other's presence, enjoying the companionship that neither of them realized they were missing.

Tommy had learned that Kimberly was now working for one of the top advertising firms in the country. She graduated from the University of Florida with a double major in Marketing and Management in 2005 and worked her way up through the ranks of a small company in Tallahassee. In only a small amount of time she caught the eye of a recruiter who immediately convinced her to pack up and head to Los Angeles by offering an incredible salary and benefits package complete with lots of perks. She was great at what she did, and she didn't have to say it. Tommy just knew. But he could sense that deep down she was slightly less-than-fulfilled by her 9-to-5 cubicle job.

He also learned that the narrow scar on her right knee was the result of a surgery done to repair the injury that ended her gymnastics career. Of course, he seized this opportunity to run his hand along the tender skin on her inner leg and lower thigh while inquiring innocently about the scar's origin. She certainly didn't object, and if his eyes weren't fooling him she may have leaned in closer to him, welcoming the gesture.

Tommy hunted for signs of remorse as she talked about the injury, but he couldn't detect any. She explained that it was not unusual for a gymnast to be done competing by their early twenties, which was why she was so thankful to have had such an incredible opportunity as a teenager. She won several medals and awards, and while she still enjoyed a casual workout or occasional expo show, she was content to have the world of competitive gymnastics behind her.

Kimberly had learned several things about Tommy as well. He told her all about his days as a competitive race car driver, and the fiery accident that left him laid up for weeks and shook him up enough to walk away from that particular career path. Her heart ached at the thought of him in harm's way, even though she knew full well that he had probably encountered much worse in his days as a ranger.

She heard all about his time at UCLA, where he attended relatively aimlessly for the first year before he decided to pursue a degree in paleontology. He had paused while Kimberly giggled, a response he had grown to expect whenever he told one of his former teammates about his degree choice. He graduated with honors and spent a few years traveling with a small group of fellow graduates working on archaeological digs. Kimberly watched in awe as he told her this bit of information as though it were no big deal, and made a mental note to dig into this particular piece of Tommy-history at a later time.

Upon returning to the United States, Tommy purchased a home in southern California and attained a teaching certificate. However, while he knew teaching was his true passion, the classroom was not where he wanted to be, and after only a year of traditional teaching he stepped away and threw himself into his latest project – his martial arts school. John was a friend of his uncle's who knew Tommy from his racing days and had generously offered to loan him the money he needed to get the school up and running. Now that the school was prospering Tommy had repaid his friend, but happily kept him on board as a silent partner of sorts.

Kimberly studied Tommy carefully as she processed his answer to her most recent question. "So, you lost your virginity to Kat after dating for less than a year? Wow, and to think… We were together for three years and barely got past second base."

Tommy swung back to face her, hoping his forced confession didn't just ruin their whole evening. Much to his relief, he did not see animosity reflected in her delicate features, but rather a touch of curiosity – a look that told him he was going to have to elaborate. "Alright, for the record… I would have GLADLY gone farther with you."

"I don't remember stopping you," she whispered.

He sighed. "Do you remember your last night in Angel Grove?"

"You mean, at the lake? In the back of your truck?" She smiled fondly as he nodded. That night remained very vivid in her memory. She remembered sitting on his lap, their legs dangling off the open tailgate facing the lake as he whispered in her ear how much he would miss her, and how proud he was that she was following her dream. She remembered his lips pressed against her neck, her cheek, and finally her lips. She remembered kissing him like she'd never kissed him before, turning slowly until she straddled his lap and cradled his face in her hands. Most of all, though, she remembered the feeling of his strong hands all over her, feeling safe in his tight embrace, and praying that he would never let her go. "Yeah, I remember."

"Want to know what I remember about that night?"

She nodded softly, afraid of the tremor she might hear in her own voice.

"I remember being terrified that, for some reason you would open the glove box and find the condoms I'd stashed in there."

"Tommy Oliver!" she reprimanded with a mocking smile. "I never thought you had it in you."

"Yeah, well, believe it or not, I have thought about sleeping with you once or twice in my life."

She scoffed. "Once or twice, I'm sure. More like once or twice tonight." She caught his wink out of the corner of her eye before continuing, "So why didn't we get a chance to use those condoms that night?"

He smiled at her wistfully. "I thought it would make it harder for you to go, and harder for me to let you go. I didn't want you to feel trapped."

As he had done several other times this evening, Tommy had responded to her boldness with such genuine sincerity that she found herself speechless. She stared at him for a long minute trying to reel in her reaction before Tommy spoke again.

"Of course, if I had it to do over again…" he said with a devilish half-smile.

"Well…" She started to say that he would have met no objections from her, when something dawned on her. _Tommy totally changed the subject!_ Impressed and annoyed that he so effectively threw her off her original line of questioning, she pulled herself back on track. "Well, still. For you to swing for the fences with Kat so soon, you must have had something really special."

"The exact opposite, actually."

Now she was confused. She stared at him, silently imploring him to elaborate.

"Katherine was… easy."

Kimberly laughed and sipped her drink. "That's mighty blunt of you. I'm not sure Kat would appreciate hearing you say that though."

"No, no…" Tommy replied, shaking his head. "That came out wrong. What I meant was, I sort of fell into a relationship with her out of convenience."

She smiled sympathetically. "Not sure that's much better."

"But it's the truth. Kat was there, all dressed in pink, and you weren't. She was obviously interested…"

"Very obviously," Kimberly interjected.

"…and after you and I broke up, she and I just kind of ran with it." Kimberly appreciated the way he made the breakup sound mutual, even though they both knew damn well that wasn't what happened.

He sighed and pushed his glass forward, indicating to Marty that he'd like another drink. "We slept together after graduation, and we never said it, but I think we both knew it was a last-ditch effort. We were trying to forge a connection that just wasn't there."

"I'm sorry, Tommy. I thought that you and Kat looked really happy together."

He shrugged. "We weren't unhappy. She was good to me. I like to think I was good to her, but I feel bad that I never developed the type of feelings for her she had for me." He laughed and leaned back in his barstool. "The sex was horrendously awkward. We both just stared at the ceiling for a good long time when it was all over with."

Kimberly stifled a giggle. "Sorry to hear that."

"Yeah, well, that's life I guess. Live and learn." He grinned brightly, sending a flutter through Kimberly's chest as he accepted his new beverage. "My turn."

"Oh boy," she muttered, taking another long sip.

"Hey, I don't want to hear it. You just dove into my virginity. The way I see it, nothing's off the table."

"Alright, let me have it."

"How many men have you dated?"

His dark eyes bore right through her, but she didn't back down. Instead, she leaned in with a devious smile. "Dated? Lots. Too many to count. But that's not your real question."

He beamed despite her smug grin, enthralled by her obvious insightfulness. Unable to break eye contact, he smoothly responded, "Fine. How many men have you slept with?"

"Three." Having anticipated his question, the answer fired off her tongue without a second of hesitation, but now she paused, trying to gauge his reaction. He leaned back, not in aversion but more in contemplation and crossed his arms over his chest, still piercing her with his gorgeous dark eyes. "Trying to decide if you have a shot with me?"

"No. Just trying to determine how many men I'd be willing to kill in a jealous rage."

Kimberly pressed her lips together folded her hands in her lap. More than anything else she wanted to leap into his lap right now and go for number four. Trying to cool herself from his heated gaze she broke eye contact, but she couldn't stay away for long. She took a deep breath to regain her composure before meeting his eyes again. "Why didn't you kiss me back there?"

"What?"

"It's my turn to ask the question, and I want to know why you didn't kiss me while we were dancing. You wanted to; I could see it in your eyes."

Having been very effectively thrown off-guard, Tommy closed his eyes and shifted in his chair. Of course, behind his eyelids all he could see was her delicate pair of lips, which was little help. "I did want to kiss you."

"I know. And I wanted you to kiss me. So why didn't you?" Her voice was soft and smooth, but insistent nonetheless.

He smiled gently at her admission, taking note of their sudden close proximity as he scrambled for the correct way to word his response. "You looked… afraid."

"Damn." Her chin dropped to her chest and she sighed, staring at her hands. She was about to take this game in an entirely different direction. "You're right," she confessed, meeting his gaze again as she spoke softly. "I'm terrified of the way I feel about you."

Her words, quiet and affectionate as they were, nearly knocked him off his barstool. The present tense she used registered somewhere in his subconscious, and he realized he'd been swimming in a sea of denial when he'd told himself that he could walk away from her after tonight and go back to life as usual. After a shaky breath he reached for his drink, more as a method for stalling than desire for the alcohol's velvety burn.

She waited for eternity for his reaction, knowing that, despite the fire they'd been dancing around all evening, she'd just pulled him across a line that he may or may not have been ready to cross. Finally, he spoke. "Why didn't you just kiss me?"

His lips curved into a faint smile, much to her relief, and she grinned back brightly in response. "Tommy…" She leaned back toward the bar and took another long sip, tossed her hair over her shoulder, and continued. "What kind of lady would I be if I made the first move?"

Tommy laughed and rolled his eyes, letting the cloud of sexual tension lift temporarily. She giggled with him, then chewed on her lip nervously. It had been years since she felt this jittery in the presence of a man. "Your turn," she quipped, hoping to get him talking again as she downed the last of her fruity concoction.

He had another question he was dying to ask, but he wasn't sure it was the right time or place. He was also terrified of the consequences that this particular question might bring. But he had been silent too long, and her golden brown eyes begged him to speak. Plus, his personal filter had faded away with his last rum and coke.

"Kim, why did we break up?"

He regretted the words the instant they were past his lips, as he watched her stiffen and turn away. He half-expected her to jump down from her barstool and bolt for the door, and if she was being honest with herself she had certainly considered it. Instead, though, she pushed her glass forward with a touch of desperation, and despite the fact she'd promised herself that the last drink would be her last, her eyes begged for just one more to get her through this conversation.

Luckily, Marty was very good at his job.

_Sorry for the long delay! I've been without computer access for far too long. This chapter became much longer than I'd originally planned, and I decided to split it into two. The good news is, the next chapter is done and just needs a little bit more editing. It should be up very soon, with the conclusion soon to follow! Enjoy!_


	7. Make No Apologies

**Chapter 7**

She smiled at the kindly bartender as he removed her glass and got right to work making her another, then she turned back to Tommy and released the deep breath she'd sucked in a moment before.

"Kim, wait. I didn't mean… I'm sorry… We were having such a good time…"

"No, Tommy, really. It's a very valid question, and you deserve a better answer than the one I'm about to give you." Her lips curved in a half-hearted smile, setting Tommy's nerves somewhat.

"Okay, at least let me clarify a little." He reached forward and took one of her hands in his as Marty delivered her drink. "I'm asking out of sheer curiosity. I was hurt, at first, but we were kids. Kids break up all the time. And while I realize tonight that I've missed your company, it's not like I've been curled in a ball crying for the last ten years. I've been happy. I've had some amazing experiences. It was a dumb question…"

"It wasn't a dumb question."

"…and I don't blame you for anything. No grudges. So that means no apologies. Got it?"

She smiled sincerely. "Got it." But her eyes betrayed her, and Tommy could see where this conversation was headed.

"I'm serious. No apologies. In my heart you were forgiven a long time ago."

"Deal." While she still didn't relish the idea of digging into this piece of history, she felt that Tommy's forgiveness lifted a heavy weight from her chest. And it didn't hurt that he was still holding her hand. "You're right. We were kids. But with everything we'd been through by the time we were sixteen, I think we were both pretty mature for our age. And I think that made our relationship feel a lot more… grown up."

"Despite the lack of sex."

She laughed at his devilish grin and playfully swatted at his chest. "Yes, except for the sex thing, we had a very adult relationship. We were kids, but I think what we felt for each other was way deeper than typical teenage puppy love."

"You've got no argument here."

"And so here I was, just turning seventeen, involved in a relationship that most married couples would envy, making decisions that would affect the fate of the world, and being offered the opportunity to move across the country and pursue my lifelong dream."

Tommy nodded, but felt a twinge of sadness at the remorseful tone of her voice. He still wasn't sure where she was going with all this, but he didn't dare interrupt her.

"It was wonderful, though. I was so happy. It killed me to leave you and go to Florida, and even though I agree that I haven't laid around and cried about it, barely a week goes by without me thinking about how life would be different if I hadn't gone."

"Kim..."

She halted him by pressing two fingers to his lips and casting him a cautionary smile. "I don't regret going to Florida. I just think about it. I'm curious," she said with a sly smile, echoing his words from earlier. He laughed gently.

"So I got to Florida. And I was happy. At first. But it was like I was suddenly on the outside of my life looking in, and when I thought about it, REALLY thought about it… It was all just too much." She paused briefly and picked at the hem of her dress nervously before continuing. "Pretty soon, all I wanted was to be was a flighty, irresponsible, valley girl teenager again. I wanted to run to the mall as fast as I could, where the only decision I had to make was between the black pumps and the pink wedges."

Tommy's face broke into a knowing smile and she reciprocated with a nervous grin of her own. "Alright, let's get one thing straight. You were never a flighty, irresponsible valley girl."

She laughed and shook her head. "Anyway… What I was getting at was… The pressure just got to be too much."

"I'm sorry, Kim. I would have gladly given you all the space you needed."

She shook her head and wagged her finger in Tommy's direction. "No apologies, remember?" He conceded and motioned for her to continue.

"Remember when I came home at Christmas?"

"Of course."

She laughed playfully. "Alright, anytime someone asks you if you remember something, your answer should not be 'of course.'"

"So I pay you a compliment and you respond by insulting me. That's nice, Kim, real nice," he replied facetiously.

"No one said I was nice." He watched as she took another slow sip, then nearly lost his mind when her tongue slipped out and dragged along her lower lip to capture an escaping droplet. She paused to take him in briefly, then continued. "So, when I was home at Christmas, you and I went shopping."

He nodded. "Yep, I remember that too."

"Do you remember the jewelry store?"

"I wanted you to pick yourself out something."

She nodded. "And I did. That gorgeous white gold heart pendant with the diamond in the center… I still have it. It's one of my favorites."

He wasn't sure how to respond, so he was content to bask in the warmth of her favoring grin.

"Do you remember standing in front of the rings?"

He froze. It wasn't the pained expression on her face, even though her eyes suddenly left him feeling cold. It was the minor fact that she'd finally struck upon something he couldn't remember. He had no recollection of this particular part of that day. Maybe his mind had simply pushed it away, trying to preserve the incredibly blissful memory of his last day with Kim. The only way he was going to get his answers, though, was to be completely honest, so he took a deep breath and spoke. "Honestly, Kim? No, I don't remember."

She smiled reassuringly, but sadness was still reflected in her eyes. "It's alright, Tommy. I don't know if you even knew you were doing it. We were just wandering around the store, and you kind of stopped in front of the rings case. I came up behind you, and you wrapped your arm around me… And then, we moved on to look at bracelets."

He nodded, but furrowed his brow in confusion. "I don't understand."

She sighed. "On the way back to Florida, all I could think about was, 'Oh my God, what if Tommy proposes? What would I say? What would I do? Am I ready for that?' I mean, I saw everything my mom went through with my dad, and the thought of marriage was just… terrifying. So I obsessed, and I dwelled on it for weeks. I just drowned in uncertainty, and I was already feeling restless, and tied down…" her voice quickened, echoing her anxiety.

"Kim, if you had just told me…"

"And then I met Mark."

Tommy's stomach did a back flip, and suddenly he was wondering why on earth he had initiated this conversation. He was perfectly content not knowing the answers. He was thrilled to have spent this incredible evening with this incredible woman, and he was sure this particular discussion would be the kiss of death to an otherwise amazing night. He reached for his drink and took a long, needful gulp as she continued.

"But I lied to you about him, Tommy. Because he wasn't just like you. No one would ever be just like you. You would have hated him. He was a total partier, with no real direction. All he cared about was having fun, living in the moment… He was completely carefree, a little wild, and he was exactly what I thought I needed at the time."

"But you were happy?" he asked softly, his rapid heartbeat slowing slightly.

"Momentarily."

"Good." A warm feeling of relief washed over him, until another thought crossed his mind, and while he wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer, he had to ask the question. "Was he, um… one of your three?"

"Oh, God no," she answered quickly, with a dismissive wave of her hand. "He didn't stick around that long, and that was TOTALLY fine with me." She leaned over and gave his knee a reassuring squeeze. "Tommy, I don't know what happened. I don't know why I freaked out like I did. But I know you deserved better than that. You deserved better than what I could have given you, and that's why I hoped things would work out with you and Kat."

He shook his head and took her hand in his own. "I hate that you were so scared. I didn't mean to…"

"It wasn't your fault, Tommy. I think we just stumbled upon each other and into this incredibly deep relationship before we were ready for it. Or, at least before I was ready for it. I behaved like a child, and I'm so sorry…"

"Hey!" he cut her off firmly. "You promised! None of that. No apologies. It's in the past. And if you think you behaved like a child, it's because we _were _children."

"I know, but looking back as an adult, it was such an immature way to handle things…"

"Enough. Besides, it's my turn." His face had softened, much to Kimberly's relief. He did not wear tension well.

"No way! That was your question. It's my turn."

"No, no. My turn to talk. You haven't shut up in the last twenty minutes," he said lightheartedly, with a playful wink. His face grew serious again, but his smile didn't fade. He had successfully worked through his near-panic attack at the mention of whats-his-name and was ready to reply. "Kim, I wasn't planning to propose. At least, not in such concrete terms." He gave her hand a quick squeeze. "But that doesn't mean I hadn't thought about forever, and I had planned on you being part of that forever."

"Tommy, I'm so s– "

"That's two! I won't warn you again," he cut her off in a sharp tone that she remembered from the many times she had followed him into battle. Despite his scolding words, his tone set her ablaze again, making her hormones run rampant. It was enough to shut her up.

He sighed and smiled apologetically, completely unaware that the delicate way she shifted in her chair and bit her lower lip was a result of being incredibly turned on. "I wasn't thinking about marriage, but I would have happily settled down with you in a heartbeat, given the chance. I was completely in love with you, but I did so much more than love you. I cherished you, I worshipped you… I obsessed over you." He averted his eyes as he shook his head lightly. "And it was all incredibly unhealthy."

Kim smiled and reached for his hand again, unable to speak as she was devoting all of her strength to keep the tears welling up in her eyes safely trapped there.

"I could not believe how lucky I was to have you. You were so much more than just my girlfriend – you were my lifeline. You took a dorky, loner teenager and pulled me into the greatest group of friends anyone could ask for. I knew that I didn't deserve you, and so every day I spent with you was like borrowed time."

"Tommy, you know that's not true," she protested indignantly, an angry red color flooding over her cheeks.

"Well that's how I felt, especially back then. And while it knocked me on my ass when you sent me that letter, I can't say it was a surprise."

She swatted at a tear slipping down her cheek. This was worse than her own confession. "That's never how I thought about us…"

He laughed gently and used his thumb to wipe another tear from her cheek. "Kim, you're missing the point here. I'm not telling you all this to make you sad. I'm telling you this so you can understand that… that breaking up was the best thing for us." He turned in his seat so he was facing her completely, then took both of her arms firmly and swiveled her to face him. "If we had stayed together, neither of us would have grown into the people we are today. You'd be restless and unhappy, always wondering if the grass would be greener on the other side. I'd be walking on eggshells, waiting for you to drop a bombshell on me every day. We needed to break up to grow up. You did the right thing."

Kimberly could not believe this man's capacity for compassion. She had wounded him badly, burned him for no good reason, and here he was comforting her. Unable to control the giddy smile spreading across her face, she turned away and buried her face in her hands. "You don't have to let me off the hook, you know."

"That hook has been around since we were seventeen. By now it's rusted and falling apart, and you can get down all on your own."

Marty interrupted apologetically. "Hey, guys, it's last call. Anything else I can get you?"

Kim shook her head, and Tommy turned to him. "No, Marty, thanks. We're ready to cash out." When he heard his own words, a jolt of terror shot through him. The night was quickly drawing to an end. He needed to make sure this was not the last time he'd see her.

"Tommy? You okay?"

He shook himself from his daze. "Yeah, sorry. You were saying?"

"I was saying that you're being too good to me by pretending I've done nothing wrong."

"And I was saying there's nothing wrong with being slightly commitment-phobic," he retorted with a satisfied smirk. "I just never saw it in you before."

"Alright," she replied, finding the strength she needed to continue. "But I need to say it. I know you don't want to hear it, and you've removed a huge weight from my shoulders, but for my own peace of mind, I need to say it."

His lips curved sweetly over his bright white teeth in a charming smile that threatened to bring her to her knees. "Say what, Kim?"

She sighed. "I'm sorry. For hurting you. I was never too good for you, and you made me happier than anyone else ever has. You've given me way too much credit, and you didn't deserve to feel the way you did. For that, I'm so sorry."

Keeping his dark eyes trained on her, he leaned back again with a thoughtful expression and just the hint of a smile. He appreciated her for just a moment, allowing his eyes to wander up her shapely legs, toned body and finally to her glowing, beautiful face. With a shaky breath he pulled himself to his feet, relying on liquid courage to keep him on course.

Towering over her, he cupped her cheek in one hand and raised her chin so her eyes would meet his. "Fine. Be sorry. But then you have to know that I'm sorry too."

Her brow wrinkled in confusion. "For what?"

Another deep breath. Another second to convince himself he was doing the right thing. "I'm sorry I made you feel tied down. I'm sorry I didn't try to talk to you about any of this before now. I'm sorry I made you sad tonight. I'm really sorry I didn't make love to you at the lake before you left. And I'm especially sorry that I didn't do this earlier."

Before she could respond with all of the arguments ready to burst off her tongue, he had captured her sweet lips with his own. His mouth skimmed gently against hers, following the gentle curves he'd fantasized about all night. She tasted as succulent as he'd remembered and then some, and suddenly he didn't know how he'd lived so long without this particular addiction.

The kiss caught her off guard, and while she didn't pull away, it took her a brief second to respond. However, as soon as her mind processed the breathtaking feeling she countered by pressing her lips firmly back against his. She was endlessly grateful for his very existence. Her tongue darted out, nearly of its own accord and brushed innocently against his lower lip as his fingers curled around the back of her jaw.

As long-awaited as this kiss was for both of its participants, they both knew they were only tempering the flame that had been growing inside each of them all night. She moaned against his lips as his hot breath swept across hers and ignited something deep inside of her. When they reluctantly parted she felt as though she might actually combust.

Tommy wasn't sure how much longer his legs would support him, and he sank slowly back into the barstool, never taking his eyes away from her. Her eyes were half-closed, her lips parted in the sexiest of smiles. He nervously awaited her reaction, but she remained frozen for what seemed like forever.

Finally, she appeared to burst through her haze, but she did not speak. Instead she twisted quickly back toward the bar, lifted her glass to her lips and swiftly finished it off. Then she eased off the barstool, gathered her purse and finally turned back to face Tommy.

"Thank you for the drinks, Tommy." She flashed him a bright, cordial smile and began to walk away on shaky legs.

Dumbfounded, Tommy remained frozen in his chair. When he was finally able to will himself to speak, his voice quivered ever so slightly. "Kim? You're leaving?!?"

She turned back to him, having almost reached the door leading her back into the hotel's vast lobby. "You know, Tommy, I thought you were hot in high school. But you're so much more confident now, and my God, I cannot tell you how sexy that makes you." She tilted her head and favored him with a slight, flirtatious smile. "Sometimes I wish you knew just how wonderful you really are." She winked as she turned back toward the door, then flipped her hair over her shoulder and disappeared from sight.

* * *

Tommy sat speechless and motionless a few moments later as Marty appeared with his bar tab. He took the small slip, taking note of the very large dollar amount printed there, then added in a generous tip for the attentive bartender. He barely registered the buzzing of his cell phone against his leg as he signed his name, authorizing the substantial charge to his room bill.

Running was not the reaction he'd expected from Kimberly when he'd kissed her. In an ideal world she would have confessed her undying love for him, but he wasn't even expecting that. Perhaps a cute, nervous giggle accompanied by a blush. Knowing Kimberly, fainting wasn't out of the question. Even if she had pushed him away, at least he would have an idea that he'd done something wrong.

But kissing him back like that, smiling like that afterwards… and then just walking away with hardly a word? He just couldn't process it.

His phone buzzed again as he reached the door, and he paused to reach into his pocket, refusing to allow himself to feel hopeful.

_You haven't chased me yet._

"You have got to be freaking kidding me," he muttered to no one in particular as he punched in his reply.

_You want me to chase you through the streets of LA?_

He hit send and pushed through the door into the lobby. He didn't wait long for a reply.

_I'm not in the streets of LA. Did you really think I could just leave?_

He halted mid-stride and looked around the lobby like prey being stalked by a hungry predator. Once again, he was stuck right in the center of one of Kimberly's games. Despite his slight annoyance at being played, though, he was loving every minute of it.

His mind immediately began analyzing the situation, working to recall every detail he possibly could. He had earned victory in battle many times over the years simply by outwitting his enemy, but he wasn't sure outwitting Kimberly was a possibility.

Something wasn't sitting right in his memory, and he fought through the rum's haze to replay the moment she'd walked away in his head. He stood, facing the hotel's massive entryway leading out to the lane of taxis, shuttle busses and limousines trying to picture where she had headed. Then it struck him, and he spun to face the opposite side of the lobby. She hadn't gone toward the exit at all! She had moved in the completely opposite direction when she left the lounge.

His face broke into a wide smile as his phone buzzed again, having obviously taken too long to respond.

_I didn't think I could control the flames after that kiss. I thought we should head somewhere where the fire can burn freely._

This message caught the attention of his groin, and he decided to end the game by going for the direct approach.

_Tell me where you are._

He remained frozen in place in the hotel's grand lobby until his phone buzzed again.

_Where do you want me to be?_

He sucked in a deep breath, trying desperately to control his caveman-like urges.

_My room. My bed._

Hell, at this point it could be the backseat of his car.

_Sounds good to me. Maybe I just got a head start._

His legs started moving before his brain could catch up with them. He headed for the cluster of elevators in the back corner of the lobby, trying to suck in deep, cooling breaths as he moved.

His breathing stopped completely when the elevators came into view. There in the elaborately decorated vestibule was Kimberly, standing resolutely as if she owned the damn place. She was like a goddess there before him, her lips curved in an enticing smile with one hand on her hip and the other holding her phone.

He didn't even notice he'd stopped moving until he felt his phone buzz again.

_I didn't want to make it too easy for you._

He laughed disbelievingly at her reference and shook his head, slowly dragging his eyes away from her as he responded.

_You never do._

The 'ding' of the elevator broke her trance and caught Tommy's attention. Kimberly cocked her head to one side with a tempting smirk, urging him to join her as she stepped into the elevator.

* * *

_Thank you for staying with me on this story, and thanks for all the reviews! I'm planning on wrapping it up in one more chapter, but once I get going there's a very good chance it'll end up being two more._


	8. Bathing in Flames

_Again, so sorry this took so long! I really have been working on this chapter for quite some time. I've never written anything this explicit (oh yeah, by the way... ADULT CONTENT! You have been warned!) and it was way more difficult than I thought. Constructive criticism is welcome, and I'd be willing to rewrite later for improvement if necessary. I just couldn't stare at it anymore!_

_I hope you enjoy!! *wink*  
_

**Chapter 8**

Tommy moved swiftly toward the elevator, never wavering in his intentions to follow her. Kimberly, however, wasn't taking any chances, and she seized him by the collar of his shirt the instant he was within an arm's reach of the elevator door.

Within seconds Tommy found himself slammed against the inner wall of the elevator, Kimberly's strong, yet petite frame pressed firmly against his. Her lips sealed hotly over his as the door slid closed, isolating the pair from the bustling hotel lobby.

She reveled in the firmness of his lips against hers, and while the taste of his gentle mouth was as alluring as it had been a short time ago in the lounge, this kiss was markedly different. Their first kiss this evening had been sweet and sexy, and had warmed her very core, but it had been proper and chaste at the same time. This, pressed against one another in a place where they could easily be discovered at any moment, was hotter, deeper… almost savage.

The frenzy continued as Tommy's right hand found its way through Kimberly's auburn tresses to the back of her head. He tilted her head slightly and kissed her deeply, ravaging her mouth with his lips and tongue. She whimpered against his mouth and pressed into him even harder, physically begging for more. He could feel every inch of her beautiful body outlined against his. Her feminine form was driving him mad with desire, and on instinct his other arm looped around her small waist and held her close.

_Close_. Right where he wanted her to be.

Tommy's arm tightened around her, and in a flash he spun them both, leaving Kimberly pressed against the wall with him towering over her. His lips drifted away from hers but never broke contact, leaving a hot trail behind as he moved slowly down her cheek, across her chin and finally settling on the soft skin of her neck. Cursing her own short stature, she strained upward to meet him as one of her arms shot out to strike the '6' button on the elevator wall.

She let loose a playful squeal as she felt her toes leave the ground. Tommy hoisted her up against the flat railing along the elevator wall, his tongue gliding softly across the indentation just under her ear. That had always been her sweet spot back in high school, a spot where a single kiss could turn her into a purring puddle of goo.

Propped against the wall and finally at eye level with him, she exhaled deeply and cradled his head in her hands. She found her legs subconsciously parting, causing her dress to ride up on her thighs and allowing Tommy to press against her more closely. In that moment she felt the evidence of his desire for her – every inch of it - pressed firmly against her lower stomach, and for a split second she considered giving in to him right then and there in the elevator.

"Tommy…" she moaned breathlessly as his strong hands roamed over her now-bare thighs. He grinned against her neck as his mouth slid toward her collarbone. Her head fell backward lazily, then tilted to the side. She glanced up at the elevator door. _Fifth floor… almost there… _

The 'ding' of the elevator as it reached its destination broke Tommy's concentration and he stepped backward gracefully, allowing Kimberly to slide down onto her feet. His mind screamed at him for being so irresponsible. _I never should have allowed myself to get so out of control,_ he scolded himself as he pictured the possibility of innocent bystanders, perhaps a young family, joining them on the elevator partway through their journey. He knew better than to be so aggressive in his public displays of affection. This sort of impulsivity was incredibly out of character for him.

Then his eyes locked on hers again and all such thoughts were lost.

Her lower lip was clamped gently between her teeth as she tried desperately to repress a smile. Her hair, slightly tousled from Tommy's own hands, framed her flushed face and kiss-swollen lips. It was her eyes, though, that held his heart and his cock at full attention. They danced and glowed seductively and showed absolutely no hesitation in her intentions.

She giggled as she delicately pressed her fingertips to her lips as though she were checking to see that they were still there. Then she sprung forward and past him, barely avoiding his tempting embrace.

And he followed without pause. After all, he had wanted her nearly half his life. He couldn't stop now if he wanted to.

Kimberly made her way down the hotel corridor confidently, ignoring her trembling knees and rapidly beating heart. The only man who could invoke such a reaction from her followed a half-step behind her, hands in his pockets in a gesture of self-restraint.

"Where are you going?"

"Hmm?" Kim queried over her shoulder without stopping.

"I mean, how do you know where you're going? You just planning on ducking into some random room?"

"643. That's where I'm headed," she retorted, tossing her hair as her eyes shot forward.

"Is that…" Tommy started, digging for his key.

"That's your room, Tommy," she replied with a knowing giggle. "Figures you'd forget."

"I don't remember inviting you to my room," he taunted.

She stopped on the spot and swirled to face him, nearly causing a full-body collision. "Want me to leave?"

His hand found its way around her waist again and he drew her close, his face only inches from hers. "Don't you dare," he whispered over her lips.

Kim shivered slightly as she allowed him to escort her the rest of the way down the corridor.

* * *

Just inside the door Kimberly halted, her mind reeling. Her gaze fell upon the giant king-sized bed that took up a majority of the ornately decorated room. She took a deep breath, suddenly aware of the apprehension rippling through her. She had only taken things this far with a handful of men, and never had she been nervous or unsure.

She was sure of one thing - she wanted Tommy. Badly. The trembling in her fingertips and the thumping of her heart against her chest was more a result of nervous excitement than anything else. But deep down, she knew the source of her anxiety – No other physical relationship would ever mean to her what this one would. And that sort of pressure was crumbling her walls of self confidence.

Tommy stood several paces behind her as he removed his jacket and placed it neatly in the closet to his right, never removing his eyes from her feminine figure. The tension in her shoulders registered in his mind, but it didn't stop him from stepping toward her.

"Kim?" he spoke delicately, pressing his face into the top of her head and inhaling the alluring coconut scent of her shampoo. His fingers traced lightly from her shoulder down to her wrist, and her eyes drifted closed at his sensuous touch. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied softly, turning to face him. "You just… You make me feel so…" Her hand drifted over her stomach as she worked to articulate the fluttery feeling in her gut.

"Turned on?" he prompted with a smirk.

"More than you know."

He smiled and traced his thumb softly across her cheek. "You know I would never make you do anything you didn't want to. I don't want you to feel pressured…"

"Tommy?" she interrupted, grinning and shaking her head.

"Hmm?"

"Shut up."

Her lips swept over his in an instant, and suddenly he found his arms full of Kimberly. Her tongue sought out his and dueled with it gently, and her fingers moved deftly across his torso until they reached the knot of his tie. His hands met hers there and together they worked the knot loose, refusing to relinquish each other's mouth.

A need for oxygen eventually drove the pair apart, and Kimberly's bright eyes fluttered open and found his. He left her hot and breathless, and she wasn't entirely sure she could speak. When she tried, her voice squeaked out only slightly above a whisper.

"I've never wanted anyone as much as I want you," she confessed. "And that scares the hell out of me."

He shook his head, lowering his forehead to meet hers. "Nothing to be afraid of, Beautiful."

He captured her lips again in a kiss laced with fire, and she had no choice but to surrender herself to him in that moment. His tongue swept along her lower lip before slipping into her mouth and pressing firmly against hers, causing a hungry moan to erupt from deep within her chest. Tommy's strong hand pressed against her lower back, holding her flush to his rock hard body.

She didn't even notice that they were moving until she felt Tommy sink beneath her onto the bed.

Tommy sat on the edge of the bed, his hands now freely roaming over her lower back and abdomen. He found it strange to have Kimberly towering over him in a standing position, as he was generally the one towering over her, and he normally would have giggled at the role-reversal, but her lust-filled eyes had him feeling short of breath. He could do little more than tug on her hands, desperate to taste her exquisite mouth again.

Kimberly eagerly followed his lead and sank into his lap, carefully placing one knee on either side of him and lowering herself into a seductive straddle. Her dangerous grin lit up the room as she leaned in toward him, quite intentionally grinding against his hardness.

Futilely trying to bite back a groan, his eyes drifted closed as his hands grazed her backside and fell to her lower legs, where he deftly removed her stilettos before sweeping up the entire length of her back. Her hands, in the meantime made themselves busy with the buttons of his shirt. She was nearly done revealing her prize when a draft of cool air swept over her chest, followed closely by Tommy's warm mouth. It was only then that she realized Tommy had unzipped her dress and it was now pooled at her waist.

A split second later she was flipped on to her back with Tommy hovering over her.

Tommy propped himself up on one elbow. The taste of her skin still sweet on his tongue, he marveled at the beautiful woman beneath him. His fingers traced lightly from the delicate skin at her neck, down between her supple breasts and danced gracefully over the flat tummy that had fascinated him during his adolescent years. He stared at her as though hypnotized for a long while before her soft voice broke his reverie.

"Tommy? You still with me?"

He bit back a grin as he swiftly discarded her dress, leaving her in nothing but a pair of cotton panties. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

Not sure how much more teasing she could take, she wrapped her fingers around his and guided his hand northward until it drifted toward her right breast. His lips swept against hers again, mashing and smacking loudly as he cupped and kneaded her breast.

"Unnh," she moaned loudly into his throat, arching her back beneath his ministrations. Unable to get enough of her taste, Tommy suckled her lower lip into his mouth before pulling away and lowering his mouth to her left nipple.

She sucked in a sharp gasp and dug her heels into the mattress as an electric shock jolted through her body. Her fingers rubbed greedily along his skull as his tongue lapped her erect nipple. Liquid heat pooled between her legs, soaking clear through her panties, and she suddenly found herself feeling desperate for Tommy's touch.

Dragging his mouth away from her smooth skin, he gazed up into her lust-clouded eyes and spoke softly, his gentle breath cooling her blazing skin. "Can I tell you something?"

She nodded shakily and shifted beneath him, longing for more physical contact.

His soft fingertips explored her smooth skin once more. This moment, this scene before him had been a fantasy of his for longer than he could remember. She had a staring role in his dreams as a teenager, especially the less than appropriate ones. Truthfully, though, looking at her now staring back at him, with her hair swirled around her head like a halo, her curvy lips begging to be kissed, her perfect breasts that tasted like pure heaven…

The real Kim blew the Kim of his dreams out of the water.

He pushed backward slightly, allowing him to take all of her into his field of vision. His hand trailed south again and tenderly toyed with the lace waistband of her panties. A faint smile touched his lips before he spoke again. "You know, Kim, I still kind of worship you."

Her megawatt smile shone through the darkness as she recalled what he'd told her earlier this evening. This man before her loved her more than life itself. He respected, adored and worshipped her, and no matter what happened after this evening, she would always hold part of his heart.

Deep in her soul, though, Kimberly knew the feeling was mutual.

"Can I tell you something now?" she replied coyly, allowing her hand to wander south along his solid chest and abdomen.

He grinned in response as his fingers slid along the front of the small scrap of fabric separating him from euphoria. He noted the evidence of her arousal and tried to hide his ecstatic grin. Her hips bucked ever so slightly as he pressed his fingertips more firmly into her hot flesh, and a warm rush of pride flooded him at her reaction.

Squeezing her eyes shut and praying to maintain her sanity, Kimberly pushed herself up on her elbows before speaking firmly. "You are wearing far too many clothes."

The force she used as she flung herself toward him caught him off-guard and he nearly tumbled backward off the bed. She was so utterly unpredictable sometimes, and yet she was just the right dose of excitement for his suddenly mundane-seeming life. His face broke into a wide smile, watching her hands fly over his chest as she worked to disrobe him at the speed of light.

Before he could take his next breath his shirt and undershirt were on the floor beneath him. Anticipation toiled through Kimberly in waves as she attempted to reach for his belt buckle, but she found herself distracted by the expanse of hard muscle laid out before her. Her fingertips traced the lines in his chest as if they were trying to memorize them, and with barely a thought she leaned forward and pressed her lips to the tight skin of his stomach.

A deep groan slipped past Tommy's lips as her tongue darted out over his skin and traced small circles, inching closer and closer to his waistline. He wasn't sure how much more of her teasing he could stand, and he reached around her carefully, loosening his belt.

Humming delicately to herself, she pushed back from him and landed in a sitting position with a satisfied smile. "You taste good," she murmured.

"You look good," he replied before Kimberly's hand grazing over his cloth covered erection removed his ability to speak.

They moved quickly together, almost as though they were communicating telepathically to remove Tommy's pants and boxers. A moment later found Kimberly on her back again with Tommy covering her body with his. His throbbing cock pressed at her center with only a thin cotton barrier between the two, and his lips hovered over hers closely, his breath wreaking havoc on her senses.

For nearly a moment the only sound in the room was Kimberly's heavy breathing, coupled with the solid drumming of Tommy's heart.

"Kim, are you – "

"Don't you dare ask me if I'm sure. I would have left a long time ago if I wasn't." She flashed him a dangerous smile, waving him a green flag.

His hand shot between them and slipped beneath the lacy waistband as his lips devoured hers. In one quick motion he slid the panties down her thighs as she arched her back toward him, and when he could reach no further she took over, kicking her legs gently until they slid to the floor. Soft fingertips traced up her inner thigh toward her aching sex.

The increased warmth as his hand approached his ultimate goal drove Tommy mad with desire, and it was all he could do to not to bury himself in her in that moment. His fingers found her lips wet and wanting, and he traced a single finger up the length of her slit.

"Tommy…" she whimpered against his lips. "God, yes…"

His fingers slipped down again before rising to rest over her engorged clit. His fingers swept once over the tiny button, and he grinned like a madman as she jerked upward at his touch. Over and over he worked his fingers across her clit until her soft whimpers grew into pleading cries.

She wanted to tell him that what he was doing felt better than anything she'd experienced in her whole life. She wanted to reach out and touch him, and allow him to experience the pure ecstasy she was engulfed in. She wanted to sing his praises to anyone within earshot. But she could do none of these things, because all of her energy was being focused on containing the orgasm building from her center. After all, this felt far too good to be over so soon.

"Relax and enjoy the ride." His free hand swept over her stomach, coaxing her to loosen up. The fingers of his other hand drifted away from her clit and he touched her gently, spreading her nether lips with a single finger.

Her body relaxed into a series of slow trembles. He lowered his mouth slowly to her right nipple and traced it in slow lazy circles. Finally regaining some motor control, she lifted one hand and used it to run the length of his back. Her other quickly joined it and her hands shot southward to clench his tight buttocks.

"You asked for it," he murmured playfully against her skin. With that, he pressed one finger deep inside of her.

Her tight tunnel was a liquid inferno, clenching tightly around the invading digit. She felt as good inside as she did outside, and all at once he wanted more.

"Tommy, please!" Her anguished cry erupted as her back arched again. "Please, Tommy, now!"

Her wish, his command. He withdrew his finger in one slick motion and rose above her, his cock now throbbing and begging to be inside her. Rising on his forearms, he lifted his eyes to hers as he used his knees to spread her thighs.

With a shaky breath, he sank deep into her in one fluid motion.

Kimberly's world went white in that instant. She could feel him spreading her, pressing further into her than she knew was possible. It would have been slightly painful if it weren't for feeling so damn good. What sent her world spinning off its axis, though, was not the depth of his cock in her pussy. The mind-blowing sensation came from a source far deeper than that (if that were possible).

She could feel him deep in her soul.

It was as though, in that moment, she could see clearly for the first time. She felt whole, complete in a way that was totally foreign to her. Their bodies melded together as though they were two puzzle pieces meant to lock together permanently. A pleasurable cry tore through the heavy air, and it was several seconds before Kimberly realized the cry had come from her lungs. And a word floated through her mind that nearly made her laugh out loud.

_Soulmate._

Tommy bobbed in and out of her at a lazy pace, enjoying every moment he spent inside her. The feel of her tight canal swallowing his length was one he knew he could never replicate if he slept with a hundred other women. He studied her face as it contorted in pure bliss, and he became determined to keep himself under control long enough to drive her over the edge.

They were locked in passionate eye contact now, her breath escaping in rhythmic whimpers between them. He needed to dominate her, wanted to claim her, and she was entirely prepared to let him. Without breaking his rhythm he laced his fingers with hers and pressed both of her hands into the mattress above her head. Displaying her consent, Kim lifted her legs and locked them over his lower back, allowing him to sink even deeper into her. With lips hovering just above his ear, she whispered her innermost desire.

"Take me, Tommy. Make me yours again."

A thrilling surge of testosterone-laced satisfaction washed over him, and he quickened his pace, driving into her harder and faster until her breath caught in her throat and her eyes fluttered backward in her skull. "Oh God, I'm… I'm…"

"Let it go, Beautiful. Cum for me," he whispered heatedly over her sweat-soaked skin.

And at that moment, with his cock buried entirely within her, Kimberly had no choice but to do just that. An unmistakable cry of orgasmic pleasure shot out of her as she twisted and buried her head to the side. Her body squirmed of its own accord as ripples of pleasure coursed through her again and again. She clenched around him involuntarily, threatening to rob Tommy of his sanity while he watched her ride out the most intense orgasm she'd ever experienced.

Tommy collapsed on top of her and buried his face in her damp hair, showering the top of her head with short kisses. Her breathing gradually returned to normal, and when she was able, she spoke. "Wow, that was… wow…" she repeated, her eyelids feeling heavy and body feeling like goo. "I've never…"

She paused in an attempt to gather her thoughts. She was about to launch into a deep, heartfelt conversation when she became acutely aware of the throbbing hardness still buried in her dripping pussy. She smiled devilishly and slid her fingers out from beneath his.

"How you doin?" he inquired casually as her hands pressed against his chest.

"Better than you," she teased as she shifted beneath him, reminding him of his aching erection. "What are we going to do about that?"

"I don't know… Can you handle more?"

She scoffed, pressing herself into a sitting position as Tommy's feet found the floor, never allowing his cock to slip out of her. "I can handle anything you're willing to give."

With that bold statement she fell backward onto the soft mattress with a giggle and lifted her legs against his chest. He drove into her sensitive flesh again and quickly found his stride with a rapid pummeling. She could feel his every twitch inside her, and she kept her eyes trained on him, refusing to miss a moment this time around.

"Fuck, Kim!" he exclaimed. She was dripping wet around him, and he was enthralled with the sight of his dick disappearing between her dark curls. "I'm so close…"

"I know, baby. God, you feel so good."

After several more thrusts Kimberly could feel another climax building within her, and her whines grew in intensity and volume until she could hold back no more.

"I… I… Oh God, I… love you!"

The confession ripped out of her subconsciously, and it set Tommy on fire. He set his jaw and clamped down on her hips, pinning her between him and the bed as his orgasm shot through him with a wild cry and sprayed her womb with warmth. Losing her battle with remaining cognizant, her eyelids drifted closed and she dwelled in his wet heat and her own aftershock until she felt him collapse on the bed alongside her.

His hand fell to rest over her tummy as she squirmed backward on the bed, attempting not to fall. Her head lolled lazily to the side to gaze at him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, noting the moisture collecting in her eyelids and tears misting in her eyes.

She pressed her eyelids together, allowing a single tear to slip down her cheek, but the blazing grin she wore indicated that these were clearly tears of joy. "I've never been better," she said softly.

Wrapping his arm around her fully, Tommy took a deep breath, and in that moment the gravity of what they'd just done sunk in. What he was feeling, though, in this intimate moment was pure bliss and not a hint of regret. Even if she got up and walked away right now, he didn't think he'd stop smiling until at least some time next week.

"I love you too," he whispered, pressing his lips to hers softly.

* * *

_Phew! Well, at least it's out there for all to see now. Again, if you have suggestions for improvement, I'll gladly listen! One more to go for sure, and possibly an epilogue. Updates should be much more frequent now... hopefully! Thanks for reading!_


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